During the CO2MMITMENT project, immobilised photosynthetic microorganisms will use CO2 in biocoated reactors to produce photosynthetic pigments. From a research point of view, four research objectives have been identified: First, the photosynthetic microorganisms will be selected based on their desiccation resistance, ensuring high survival rates within the immobilisation matrix and high levels of pigment production. Second, biodegradable copolymers will be developed as a novel immobilisation matrix. Third, the pigment production will be optimised to ensure high productivity of the biocoatings. Lastly, the process will be scaled up to use novel coated bioreactor configurations. Other objectives are the exchange of knowledge and skills between the ER and the hosts which will be ensured by adequate management and training. The results will be shared open access with the general public, scientists and industry allowing appropriate communication, dissemination and exploitation of the results. The development of these biocoated reactors will allow the ER to participate in the two-way, interdisciplinary knowledge transfer, acquiring new skills in the field of environmental biotechnologies and bioreactor engineering (from the host) and the assessment of polymers (from the secondment), while sharing her knowledge on microbiology and mass spectrometry with the host and the secondment partner. These exchanges will allow her to develop the necessary skills for a successful career in the scientific field, whether in academia or industry. The CO2MMITMENT project will allow the exchange with industrial partners, which could allow future collaborations and lead to innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. In addition, CO2MMITMENT will commit to open access science, and strengthen the position of the EU in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, allowing the Union’s industry leadership in the field and therefore its competitiveness and growth.

There is an urgent need to foster the transition to renewable energies, decarbonize the EU economy, and consolidate a circular economy. This requires the development of alternative and sustainable routes for producing fuels, chemicals, and intermediates. Biorefineries are a promising solution for producing a wide range of energy and marketable products while addressing another global environmental problem: organic waste management. Globally, > 9400 Mt of agricultural lignocellulosic waste could be used for biorefinery purposes. Syn2Value will engineer and validate a novel integrative biorefinery platform capable of converting lignocellulosic waste-derived syngas (H2:CO:CO2) into value-added liquid fuels and medium-chain carboxylates (MCC). Syn2Value will address two critical scientific challenges of syngas fermentation and chain elongation, namely the poor mass transport of gas substrates and the low metabolic selectivity, which limit its full-scale implementation. Syn2Value approach is based, first, on the bioprospection and assessment of thermophilic (45-55 °C) and acidophilic (pH: 4.5-5.5) microbes capable of a high-performance conversion of syngas into MCC. Second, the development of a groundbreaking single-stage syngas-to-MCC platform based on an innovative high mass transfer gas-lift bioreactor with in-situ product extraction. Third, ad-hoc mathematical models, techno-economic analysis and business planning will set the ground for a mid-term full deployment of a new generation of cost-effective and sustainable biotechnologies that will contribute to comply the Green Deal objective of making Europe the first climate-neutral region by 2050 while keeping the economic competitiveness of its world-leading chemical industry. The fellow, Dr. Rodolfo Palomo, will conduct this action at the Institute of Sustainable Processes of the University of Valladolid under the supervision of Dr. Raúl Muñoz, with secondments at Wageningen University & Research and the SME Greene.